Menu
EUR
CAD
AUD
GBP
MXN
HKD
CNY
MYR
SEK
SGD
CHF
THBRare Olmec Pottery Flying Shaman Figure
Lot 162a
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$1,200 - $1,800
Absentee vs Live bid
Two ways to bid:
- Leave a max absentee bid and the platform will bid on your behalf up to your maximum bid during the live auction.
- Bid live during the auction and your bids will be submitted real-time to the auctioneer.
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Oct 31, 2019
Set Reminder
2019-10-31 10:00:00
2019-10-31 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Fine Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/fine-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-art-4581
Our Halloween Day auction features classical antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe, plus fine art. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Our Halloween Day auction features classical antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe, plus fine art. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (467)
- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, Southern Mexico / Guatemala, Olmec, ca. 1150 to 500 BCE. An incredibly rare, skillfully rendered, terracotta figure depicting a flying shaman, perhaps crossing between the world of the living and the supernatural realm. The form is of a near miniature scale with an oversized head to emphasize his exceptional powers and legs extending from the buttocks to communicate the flying aspect of the figure. Note how diminutive his arms and torso are in comparison. The figure's visage is quite expressive, comprised of slanted eyes with pierced pupils, a protruding nose, parted lips with a partial perforation between them, pierced ears, and a stylized coiffure with incised marks delineating combed locks to either side of a central crest or possibly shaman horn. A very special little treasure from the Olmec, the forerunner to subsequent Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Maya and the Aztec. Size: 2.875" L x 1.75" W (7.3 cm x 4.4 cm); 2.25" H (5.7 cm) on included custom stand.
Easby and Scott (1970, no. 10) have proposed that this flying pose was used to connote " a trancelike state produced by hallucinogenic mushrooms or other substances." Another possibility posed by scholars is that such figures were depicted as sleeping, because dreams were "regarded as a potent source of visions in Mesoamerican thought." (Houston and Stuart 1989 and Miller and Taube 1993: 80-81)
For more about this flying shaman iconography read, "Olmec Art at Dumbarton Oaks" by Karl A. Taube (2004).
Provenance: ex-private Los Angeles, California, USA collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#150136Figure's lower right leg reattached. Otherwise excellent save slight surface wear. Nice deposits grace the surface as well.Condition
- Shipping Info
-
All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.
-
- Buyer's Premium
